Amazing Grace Bible Class – Lesson Five – Saved By Grace

This article is part 6 of 20 in the series Amazing Grace Bible Class

   “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9  not by works, so that no one can boast. 10  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
 The Christian’s life is:
 1. 100% GRACE:
    A. Everything we have received, do receive, and will receive from God = GRACE.
    B. Grace = an UNMERITED/UNEARNED  gift.
    C. Grace = not withheld because I am a sinner… nor is it made less because I am a
         sinner…It is because we are sinners that grace is so important to the Christian
         life.
2. 100% FAITH:
     A. Everything I receive by grace is accepted on the principle = FAITH.
     B. Not mixed with work 40% / 60% – 75% / 25% – 90% / 10% … all by FAITH.
     C. Negatively speaking: NOTHING can be received from God accept by FAITH
         Paul says, “By grace through faith” (Can it be said, “by faith only”?)
         If so… Why? If not…Why? (When Paul speaks of FAITH in Romans 4,
         he is certainly not speaking of that which DOES NOTHING IN RESPONSE)
     D. This faith is shown to us by Abraham, (KJV)=(“WORKS” (MERIT) VS
         (“COUNTED” CREDIT)- (Romans 4 and 5:2)
3. 100% SALVATION: (Can Christians hold confidently to salvation?) YES 
     A. Discussion with Baptist minister and dad… (Something to think about)
          1.) Dad – “You believe in faith only salvation.” “Right? ” (Ministers reply) “YES” 
               Dad “No, that’s wrong”
          2.) Baptist minister “You believe in water salvation.” “Right?” (Dad’s reply)
               “YES” (Minister’s reply) “No, that’s wrong”
          3.) Dad – “You believe in once saved always saved.” “Right?” (Minister reply)
               “YES” (Dad replies) “No, that’s wrong!”
          4.) (Minister) – “You believe in once saved maybe saved.” “Right?” Dad’s
                response“ “YES” (Minister) “No, that’s wrong!”
      B. What do we believe? Confident salvation or not?
      C. Let’s look at some options (on board)
          Note: To do this draw two parallel vertical lines about an inch apart.
          At the bottom place “Baptism” and at the top “Heaven”. Representing the life of a
          Christian, typically we draw the line going up, then out (sin) and then back in, up
          a bit, out (sin) then back in etc…
          The question here is: ARE CHRISTIANS IN AND OUT OF SALVATION LIKE
          THIS? HOW BIG IS GRACE? ROOM FOR TIMES WHEN WE SIN, REPENT,
          CORRECT PATH… OR DO WE ‘FALL FROM GRACE’ HAVE TO GO FORWARD,
          CONFESS ETC… TO ‘GET BACK IN’? WHAT ABOUT SINS WE FORGET
          ABOUT?
          Verses to consider (a.) Romans 6:1 (b.) Ephesians 2:8; I John 1:7; I John 2:1-2)
          WHERE DOES ‘ABUSE’ COME INTO THE PICTURE?
  4. 100% NOT: (Disclaimers)
     A.  Disclaimers
          1.) Not of self
          2.) Not of works
          3.) No room for boasting
          4.) Irrevocable (once saved DOES NOT MEAN ‘do what you want’ saved)
          5.) Doubtful (once saved maybe saved)
     B. Nothing I can do about God’s grace but ACCEPT OR REJECT it.
5. 100% GIFT OF GOD
     A. Not cheap (Acts 20:28; Isaiah 53:10; Romans 3:26; 2 Cor. 9:15; Rom. 5:15)
6.  “For we (100%) are God’s (100%) handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good
       works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”
     A. Saved by Grace/Faith principle NOT Law/Works standard.
     B. Illustrating the principle with simple semantics (Eph. 2) “…good works..”
          i.)  Eph. 2:10 – change “works” to ‘spiritual fruit’ (Cf. Gal. 5:22-24)
         ii.) “workmanship”, ”workmen”, “unto good works”, “ordained”, “Walk in them” =
              FRUIT
        iii.) Change Law to LORD, and Works to FRUIT fits perfectly in the plan of God,
              and mind of disciple.
         iv.) To base salvation/ Christian life on achievements, quotas, measures of growth,
                contributions… for the good of the church = wrong. (“another gospel”)
          v.) Law/works results in GUILT (Romans 7:23-24)
               1.) Read Work book pg. 19 (Amazing Grace God’s Power To Be” Workbook by
                    Jack Exum
7. Special Study: WHO IS SAVED – OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
     A. Questions:
          1.) What does a person need to know to be saved?
          2.) If I lose my salvation, am I still a Christian?
          3.) Is there such thing as an unsaved Christian?
     B. Light from Hebrews 3:7-19
          1.) IF today’s Christians are guilty of the same sins as the Israelites = suffer same
               fate..
               a.) What is that fate?
          2.) These sins are two types, what are they? REBELLION and UNBELIEF.
               a.) These are synonymous for “hardening your hearts” “testing” “trying” God
               b.) Having a heart that is always going astray. (Israel = 40 years!!!)
          3.) But the lesson works in both ways…
               a.) Christians not guilty of these sins WILL enter “into God’s rest”
          4.) What is the opposite of:
               a.) Unbelief — FAITH
               b.) Rebellion — SUBMISSION
               c.) Hardness of heart — (soft heart) seen in PENITENT/REPENTING
          5.) A Christian ceases to be a Christian when he LOOSES FAITH/REPENTANCE
               and remains a Christian as long as he CONTINUES IN FAITH AND
               REPENTENCE,  Hebrews 10:26-27. “If we deliberately keep on sinning….”
                1.) Salvation = lost – deliberately  continuing a life of sin… ie rebelling/hard
                     heart/refusing to repent.
                      a.) “Rebellion” = __________________
                      b.) “Sinning continuously” = _______________________
                2.) How does grace help us here?
                3.) How are believers made “perfect forever”? Hebrews 10:1
                4.) How does the Holy Spirit fit into this?
                5.) What does a penitent, teachable, moldable Christian life produce?
                     Galatians 5:22-23              
                6.) Bottom line: The Christian who loses faith, and the heart becomes
                     hardened and cannot and will not repent loses salvation… is not a
                     Christian… is lost. Christians who do not lose faith, and who’s hearts do
                     not become hardened… are saved from “spiritual cradle” till the time they
                     die.

(Special note of thanks to Jay Guinn and his work on Amazing Grace. Bible Class notes, and book “Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace”, www.oneinjesus.info)

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